Device for curling chenille



A.- UNGER DEVICE FOR CURLING CHENILLE March 10, 1942.

Filed NOV. l2, 1958 wel.

IV-ENTOR m i i Patented Mar. 10, 1942 DEVICE Foa CURLING CHENILLE Abraham Unger, New York, N. Y., assignor to Concord Chenille Com-1M., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 12, 1938, Serial No. 240,137

17 Claims.

The present invention relates to devices for making chenille and the like and more particularly to an improvement upon the device and method shown in my copending application Serial No. 210,958, led May 31. 1938.

The iibres of chenille as it is originally made project radially outward. The purpose of my prior invention and of my present invention is to curl or swirl the radial bres to give the outer surface a smooth appearance. Chenille yarn of the type referred to herein is utilized extensively in connection with the manufacture of artificial lambs wool, commonly referred to as astrakhan. To produce this artificial or synthetic fur, a curled chenille yarn is arranged in irregular swirly pat terns on a backing material and attached thereto in some suitable manner. Some of the diiculties experienced with articial astrakhan as previously manufactured are that the chenille did not possess a sufficiently dense appearance, nor did it look the same when viewed from different directions. The bres of the yarn were not curled or bent sufciently tight and close to the axial threads, nor were the curls in a plane perpendicular to the axial threads. If the respective planes of the curled bres are inclined to the axial threads, the chenille possesses a rat-tail appearance which detracts from its beauty. Failure to obtain proper curling of the bres causes certain areas of the artificial fur to appear relatively sparse cr bare and the rich wooly effect is not present.

The present invention aims to overcome or minimize the above and other difficulties by providing a machine adapted to produce at a more rapid rate a higher grade of chenille yarn or braid in which the bres of the nished product swirl in planes substantially perpendicular to the axis of the yarn, and are curled and compacted close to the axis of the braid. In addition, the chenille will retain its original appearance under more severe wear. The present invention also contemplates providing a machine for eiciently and economically producing the improved curled braid in large quantities.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for producing more per-` fectly curled chenille yarn or thelike.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a curled chenille yarn which will not readily uncurl or lose its shape. e

Another object of the present invention is to provide a curled chenille yarn in which the curled nbres project outwardly in planes substantially wherein Another object of the present invention is to provide a chenille curling machine adapted to be Aoperated at higher speeds than heretofore and adapted to curl grades of chenille which could not be curled in previous devices.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for producing chenille yarn and the like, having a minimum number of parts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved type of curling tube for use in curling chenille.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a curling tube which may be readily and inexpensively manufactured.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illust-rative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification,

Fig. lis a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one end of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a View showing a strand of 'chenille yarn passing through the improved curling member;

Figs. 5 and 5a illustrate side and end views,

respectively, curled;

Figs. 6 and 6a illustrate side and end views, respectively, of the chenille yarn` after being of the chenille yarn prior to being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the yarn. 5.5

proved mechanism for giving the chenille a back and -forth movement necessary for curling the chenille. .This mechanism is shown more particularly 1n Figs. 1 to 3. The second principal feature is the improved heated tube or curler, shown more particularly in Figs. 7 and 8, for curling the chenille. While both features are shown in a single embodiment, it will be understood that the tube or curler can be used with other feeding mechanisms and the feeding mechanism can be used or combined with other curlers.

It should be noted at this point that the terms forwardly and rearwardly are used herein for convenience in describing the structure and operation of the machine, the former referring to those features and structures at the discharge end of the device for causing the chenille to progress through the curling means and the latter referring to those features and structures adjacent the opposite or entering end of the device.

The base or table I and the supporting legs 6 are preferably made from suitable angle ir-ons or other stock shapes of structural members and support the feeding device curling means and retarding device. Adjacent one end of the base I and the curling mea-ns 2 is mounted the feeding or advancing device 4 which preferably comprises a pair of spaced upright members 'I and 8 bolted, riveted, welded or otherwise secured at each side of the base I. Adjustably mounted upon the upright members are a plurality of rollers I0, II and I3 adapted to be operated to pull a chenille yarn or the like through the machine. The rollers are spaced sufficiently close together so that a strand of chenille yarn may be received between them and fed therethrough by friction upon rotation of the rollers. A spring vIl and adjustable thumb screw I2 may be utilized for resiliently urging the rollers toward each other. In the preferred embodiment, three rollers are illustrated, the yarn being led between a lower and an intermediate roller, around the outside of the intermediate roller, then between the intermediate and top roller and finally over the top roller. From the top roller I0 the yarn is preferably led over a guiding drum I4 having rods `I5 thereon to increase the pull on the yarnand thence into any suitable receptacle (not shown). Although three rollers are illustrated in the feeding or advancing device, it will be clear that a greater or smaller number maybe utilized if desired.

The chenille advancing rollers I0, II and I3 are positively driven by the drive shaft 26 through sprocket 25 thereon, sprocket chain 23, sprocket 22 on shaft 24 and intermeshing gears Il, I9 and on the shafts of rollers I0, II and I3, respectively. 'Ihe drive shaft may be rotated by an electric motor or other source of power to drive the feeding means continuously, causing it to exert a steady forward pull on the chenille.

The retarding device (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) preferably comprises a pair of spaced upright members 28 and 29 secured in any suitable manner to opposite sides of the base I carrying a pair of adjustably mounted rollers 3I and 32 having gears 34 and 35 adjacent their ends for rotating the rollers. The rollers may be resiliently urged toward each other by a spring 31 and adjustable thumb screw 38 and are adapted to receive between them strands of chenille yarn or the like.

able to properly finish or curl the chenille. The mechanism about to be described achieves this without stopping or reversing the movement of the feeding mechanism. The mechanism saves time and produces a better curl or finish. For this purpose the chenille retarding rollers 3I and 32 are intermittently driven by the main drive shaft 26 through sprocket 45 thereon, sprocket chain 44, sprocket 43 on shaft 48, a gear 4I with a single tooth 42 also on the shaft 48, and intermeshing gears 34 and 35 on the shafts of the respective rollers 3| and 32.

The single tooth gear 4I operates to periodically effect rotation of the retarding rollers 3l and 32 in opposition to the movement of the chenille yarn caused by the feeding device 4. When the single tooth 42 of the gear 4I is out of the mesh with the retarding roller gear 35, the retarding rollers are free to be rotated by the movement of the yarn therethrough caused by the rollers of the feeding device 4. However, when the single tooth 42 is in meshing relation with theretarding roller gear 35, the retarding rollers are rotated in a direction to oppose the forward movement of the yarn therethrough. This opposing effect causes the yarn to stretch slightly and also to be moved backward a short distance through the curling means 2 and the rollers of the feeding device 4. The gripping action of the various rollers on strands of chenille yarn can be regulated by suitably adjusting the thumb screws I2 and 38 which regulate the tensions of the springs 9 and 3'I and control the force with which the rollers are urged together. In actual practice, it has been found that good results are obtained with the curling means by proportioning the operating parts of the retarding device so as to cause approximately a onehalf inch backward movement of the yarn for approximately every three inches that the yarn moves forward. This backward movement of the chenille can be achieved without stopping the feeding rollers at the front end of the machine. Most of the backward movement, which is about one-half inch in each instance, is made possible by stretching the chenille. Such stretching causes the strand of chenille to turn because of 'the twisted thread at the center. lThe stretching and turning of the chenille in the heated curling tube gives a tighter and better curling action. I n addition, the continuous forward feed simplifies the mechanism and increases the rate of curling. If the stretching operation in the backward movement tends to create undue tension, there is suicient slack in the feed drive to relieve it. If desired, the spring 9 may 'be adjusted to regulate the maximum tension.

The improved curling tube for transforming the straight chenille yarn fibres to curled or spiralled bres substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the yarn is illustrated in Fig. 7. This curling tube comprises an outer casing or tubular member 52 yhaving therein a plurality of adjacent annular rings or apertured members 53 of the same inside diameter. Ordinary brass pipe of suitable diameter may be utilized for the outer casing member 52 and a second brass' pipe with an outside diameter permitting it to fit within the outer casing may .be cut into rings to form the -inner annular members 53. Annular rings approximately one-eighth of an inch in length have been found to Work Well in practice. Turning or burring inwardly the ends of the outer casing .is sufficient to hold the inner members in position. In the preferred fibres are pulled rearwardly in a rat-tail effect.

During the relatively short backward movement of the yarn in the tube, the ends of the rearwardly extending straight fibres strike against the comparatively rough edges at the joints 55 between the rings and, taking the direction of least resistance, curl themselves outwardly in spiral form into Contact with the heated walls of the tube. In this latter position the libres are in contact with the heated tube walls for a substantial portion of their lengths and are eiectively ironed or pressed into a shape (Figs. 6 and 6a) which is not destroyed during the next succeeding `forward movement of the yarn. The curling action is greatly assisted by the turning or untwisting of the strand of chenille when subjected to the tension and stretching incident to the backward movement. The present tube will curl grades of chenille which cannot be curled on the knurled or threaded tubes used heretofore in the art.

In Fig. 8, there is illustrated a modified form of curling tube wherein an outer casingmember 52a is provided with a plurality of inner rings 53a and 53h having different internal diameters. T'he rings 53a having the greater internal diameter act as spacers for the members 53h having the smaller internal diameter. This modification also produces results far superior to previous types of curling tubes.

The heating means for the curling tubes preferably comprises an electrically heated oven 4l through which the curling tubes extend. The tubes may be maintained at a substantially conmatter herein is to be 'interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim:

1. A machine for curling chenille yarn including, in combination, a heated tube adapted to curl chenille yarn, a plurality of members adapted to cooperate to move the yarn substanf tiallyv continuously through said heated tube, means for actuating said moving members, means to intermittently jerk the chenille in opposition to said yarn moving members to stretch and curl thechenille in the tube, means for intermittently actuating said jerking means, and means for operating said latter means.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means for curling chenille yarn and the like and means for alternately subject-` ing thevv yarn tovforward and backward movement in said curling means, the means for causing backward movement of the chenille being intermittently actuated to intermittently, in eiect, grip and hold the chenille while the means for causing forward movement is eiective and also to give' a backward jerk to the chenille, whereby said chenille is stretched while in said curling means to curl the chenille.

3. A machine'for curling chenille yarn and the like including, in combination, a heated curling stant and uniform temperature by means of a l thermostat and by packing them in a bed of sand or the like to prevent rapid changes in temperature. Suitable guides or doctors 5I may be used to assist in guiding the yarn into and out of the curling tubes.

A further description vof the operation of the machine at this point is not believed necessary,

in view of the foregoing detailed description of the construction and operation thereof. As shown in the drawing any desired number of strands of chenille may be treated simultaneously.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an improved, simple and inexpensive machine and method for curling chenille yarn and the like. The fibres of the nished product possess a uniform appearance when viewed from any direction. The advancing and retarding devices may be driven from a single power source and the machine is adapted to economically produce curled chenille yarn in large quantities. In addition, the machine is adapted to curl certain grades of chenille yarn that could not be satisfactorily curled with previously known curling devices. The machine is rugged in construction and well able to withstand anyrough usage which may be encountered under actual operating conditions.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope .of the invention and without sacriiicing any of.

its advantages, it is to be understood that all means, a plurality of roller members adjacent one end of said curling means adapted to cooperate to move yarn continuously through said curling means in one direction, means for effecting rotation of said rollers, a plurality of roller members adjacent the opposite end of said curling means adapted to cooperate toperiodically and independently reverse the movement of yarn through the curling means, andv means for actuating said latter rollers at desired intervals.

4.' A'machine for curling chenille yarn and the like'including, in combination, a heated curling member, aV plurality of rollers adjacent one end of said curling memberadapted to effect movement of yarn through said curling member, means for rotating said rollers, a plurality of rollers adjacent the opposite end of said curling member adapted to cooperate to eect periodic movement of said yarn in a direction opposite to that caused by said first rollers, and means including a fragment of a gear for actuating said latter rollers. f

5. A device for curling chenille yarn and the like when heated comprising a hollow member having a plurality of inwardly extending projections'therein, certain of said projections extending farther inwardly than the others of said projections, and means mounted adjacent the respective ends of said hollow member for controlling the passage of chenille yarn through said device.

6. A device for curling chenille yarn and the like when heated comprising a hollow member having a plurality of inwardly extending projections therein with alternate projections extending farther inwardly than the other projections. l

'7. A device adapted to be utilized for imparting a curl to chenille yarn and the like when heated comprising a. tubular member and a plurality of annular members in said tubular meinber extending inwardly from the interior surface thereof, certain of said annular members having a greater inside diameter than others of said annular members for spacing said other annular members at desired intervals, means for pulling a strand of chenille substantially continuously through said device and means for imparting a backward movement to the strand of chenille at intervals.

8. A device adapted to be utilized for imparting a curl to chenille yarn and the like when heated comprising a hollow outer member having therein a plurality of apertured members, alternate of said apertured members extending farther inwardly than the remainder of said apertured members.

9. A device adapted to be utilized for imparting a curl to chenille yarn and the like when heated comprising a hollow member having a plurality of rings therein with their sides substantially perpendicular to the axis of said hollow` member.

10. A device adapted to be utilized for curling chenille yarn and the like, comprising a member having a substantially cylindrical bore and a plurality of substantially contiguous heated rings in said bore having jagged inner edges.

l1. A device adapted to be utilized for curlingr chenille yarn and the like comprising a hollow tube with a series .of smooth interior surfaces terminating in abrupt edges and separated by gaps, and means adjacent one end of said device for moving a strand of chenille in one direction through the device, and` means adjacent the opposite end of said device for moving said strand of chenille in an opposite direction through the device.

12. A device for curling the normally radially outwardly extending bres of a strand of chenille yarn closely about the axis of the yarn, comprising, a hollow outer casing for containing removable bre curling means, and removable fibre curling means inside said outer casing having substantially peripherally extending inwardly projecting portions and with at least some of said inwardly projecting portions being spaced from y each other at their adjacent inner faces to provide libre receiving gaps.

13. A device for curling the normally radially outwardly extending fibres of a strand of chenille yarn closely about the axis of the yarn, comprising, a holding means, a series of individual members adjacently mounted in said holding means and with their inner surfaces forming a substantially tubular bore adapted to permit a strand of uncurled chenille yarn to pass therethrough, the junctions of said bore-forming surfaces of the members providing irregularities in the surfaces of the bore effective when the bore is heated to curl said strand of uncurled chenille closely about the axis of the yarn when relative movement occurs between a strand of chenille and said bore-forming surfaces.

14. A device for curling the normally radiall outwardly extending fibres of a. strand of chenille closely about the axis of the yarn, comprising, a

holding means, a plurality of individual narrow members adjacently mounted in said holding means having internal surfaces adapted to coperate with each other to form a substantially tubular bore adapted to permit a strand of uncurled chenille yarn to pass therethrough, the adjoining edges of said narrow members providing irregular surfaces in the bore and being spaced from each other at portions to provide bre receiving gaps, said irregular surfaces and gaps being effective when the bore is heated to curl said strand of uncurled chenille closely about its axis when relative back and forth movement occurs between a strand of chenille and said narrow members.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means including a stationary heated tube adapted to receive and curl chenille yarn, rotary means at one end of the tube for causing substantially continuous movement of chenille yarn through said tube, a stationary support for said rollers, and means at the other end of the tube intermittently subjecting the chenille yarn to a force acting intermittently and in opposition to the direction of said substantially continuous movement at a point in advance of the entry into the tube whereby the chenille yarn tends to stretch in said tube and the axial threads of the yarn tend to turn while in said heated tube thereby to curl the chenille.

16. A machine for curling chenille yarn including, in combination, a hollow member adapted to receive and curl the yarn, means adjacent one end of said hollow member and carried by a support stationary with respect thereto for effecting passage of the yarn through said hollow member and out of the machine, means adjacent the opposite end of said hollow member and carried by a support stationary with respect thereto for opposing said movement of the yarn at equally spaced intervals by subjecting it t0 a relatively sudden short and quick pulls which stretch the yarn by opposing the forward movement thereof and a common means for actuating said moving and opposing means.

17. A device for curling chenille yarn and the like comprising an outer casing member and a plurality of individual substantially contiguously arranged rings therein, the substantially contiguously arranged rings being effective when heated to curl the chenille yarn upon relative forward and backward movement of the chenille yarn and said rings, and means for effecting relative back and forth movement between said rings and said chenille yarn.

' ABRAHAM UNGER. 

